Police in Taos are investigating the alleged beating of a man that followed a dispute about the placement of signs directing people to a campaign event for Eighth Judicial District Judge candidate Ernestina Cruz.
The altercation took place after Taos resident Roy Cunnyngham and his wife returned home and found the signs on their property, across the street from the campaign event. The Taos News reported that Cunnyngham began removing the signs because he hadn’t given anyone permission to post them on his property.
From the newspaper:
“Cunnyngham told the police that an unidentified old man then approached him and told him to put the signs back and began shoving him.
“‘All of the sudden two more men showed up and started to hit and shove Mr. Cunnyngham,’ Sgt. John Wentz wrote in the report.
“Cunnyngham’s wife Joni also told police that when she got out of the car to help, someone held her from behind and kept her in place while the men beat her husband. Another witness, who had also gotten out of the car, was shoved in a ditch.
“While the Cunnynghams told police that a small group of bystanders from Casa los Córdovas broke up the fight, other witnesses such as Francisco ‘El Comanche’ Gonzales were ‘standing on the patio of the bar laughing and taunting him after the men left him alone,’ according to the police report.”
Police told the newspaper they’re working to identify those involved.
Cruz, who called the incident “unfortunate” but said she didn’t witness anything, is challenging incumbent Sarah C. Backus in the Democratic primary. There are no Republicans in the race.